Prior to the arrival of Hindus and Muslims, the city was a vast swamp and rainforest landscape where numerous ethno-linguistic groups lived. Maguindanao vernacular architecture developed during this era, which included the architectural techniques of at least 10 ethno-linguistic groups. Later on, Hindu traders arrived and the people of the area embraced the practice of Hinduism. The set of moral standards and culture of present-day people of Maguindanao are seen due to this Hindu influence.[8][9]

By 1515, after a successful Islamic colonization in Sulu, Muslim traders went to Maguindanao and converted many of the natives to Islam. Those that did not accept the arrival of the Muslims went into higher ground or the interior of the island. During the same year, the Sultanate of Maguindanao was formally established, with Kota Wato as its capital, and ruled a vast territory in Mindanao from until its total collapse in 1888.

Datu Piang, fourth from the left, with American officers circa 1899. He was the first governor of the Empire Province of Cotabato; Cotabato City was once the capital of the province from 1920 to 1967.

Following the Spanish evacuation in Jan. 1899, Datu Piang led the Moro's in a massacre of the remaining Christian community, enslaving those they did not kill.[10]:529–530 Americans arrived in Mindanao in 1900 after the Spanish–American War ended in 1898. Cotabato town was part of Moro Province and of Department of Mindanao and Sulu from 1903 to 1920, when the Empire Province of Cotabato, referred to as "Moroland" by the Americans, was founded with the town as the capital, with Datu Piang as its first governor.[6]

Several towns were carved off from Cotabato town since the year 1913, with Pikit being the first one founded by Cebuano Christian colonists. Dulawan (now Datu Piang, Maguindanao) and Midsayap were incorporated as regular municipalities in 1936. In 1942, at the beginning of the Pacific Front of World War II, the Japanese Imperial forces entered what is now Maguindanao province. In 1945, Maguindanao was liberated by allied Philippine Commonwealth troops and Muslim Maguindanaoan guerrilla units after defeating the Japanese Imperial forces in the Battle of Maguindanao during the Second World War.[6] In August 18, 1947, just two years after the Second World War and a year after the official inauguration of Philippine independence, the number of towns in the gigantic Cotabato province were multiplied by Executive Order No. 82 signed by President Manuel Roxas, namely: Kidapawan, Pagalungan, Buayan, Marbel, Parang, Nuling, Dinaig, Salaman, Buluan, Kiamba, and Cabacan, a total of eleven (11) towns added to the previous four towns; the newly founded towns of Kabuntalan, Pikit (conversion as regular municipality), and Glan added up in September 30, 1949. More and more newly created towns added up in the province's number of towns as the province entered the second half of the 20th century.[6]

The city used to be part of the original Province of Cotabato and was its capital from 1920 until 1967, a year after the separation of South Cotabato; since then the city was the administrative center of the ARMM when Maguindanao was carved out in 1973. However, the city broke off administratively from Maguindanao as it rejoined Soccsksargen in the 1990s. Now many sources consider the city as part of the present Cotabato province, although geographically it is still considered part of Maguindanao.[6]

The city is situated in the lowest portion of Maguindanao province. The City of Cotabato with its 37 barangays spans an area with marked landscapes of flat, level to nearly level, very gently sloping to gently undulations to moderately sloping or rolling. It is basically a delta formed by two big rivers, the Tamontaka River and the Rio Grande de Mindanao. Basically 70% of its total land area is below sea level. There are only 2 existing elevated areas in the city, the PC Hill and the Timako Hill with an altitude of 90 and 150 feet, respectively.

Concentration of settlements and other urban uses are in the central portion while the southwestern and southeastern portion have mixed uses of agricultural land settlements. The city is criss-crossed by mendering and braided creeks and rivers like the Matampay, Parang, Timako, Esteros and Miwaruy.

These water bodies serve as sources of both agricultural, industrial and domestic water requirements of some rural barangays. These rivers also serve as the natural drainage flow of the city’s wastes.

The majority of the inhabitants of Cotabato City are Maguindanaoan, comprising about 50% of the city's population. There are sizable ethnic populations of Cebuanos (14%), Tagalogs (9.7%), Iranun (7%), Hiligaynons (5.6%), Binisaya (2.7%) and Chinese (2%) . The remainder of the population belongs to other ethnicities (e.g. Tausug, Tiruray, Ilocano, Maranao and Indian).[19]

As reported by Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on 2015, 76.15% of the people of Cotabato City are adherent of Islam and mainly belong to Sunnites.[21] The followers of Islam are mainly Maguindanaoan, Iranun, Maranao, and Tausug people. The remaining proportion belong to non - Islamic belief such as Christianity, Buddhism and other sects.

CMCI- In the recently released 2018 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI), the City of Cotabato ranked 15th place on the Overall Competitive Component Cities in the Philippines. Cotabato was the only awardee in the entire Region XII being 3rd place on Government Efficiency. Also Cotabato was the most Competitive City in Region 12 and the 4th most competitive city in Mindanao.

Presidential Lingkod Bayan Regional Awardee.

PNP Report - Cotabato City has the lowest Average Monthly Crime Rate(AMCR) in the Philippines, with only 17.32 AMCR

2017 SEAL OF CHILD FRIENDLY GOVERNANCE

2018 Most Business Friendly LGU Award, Special Citation for assuring the business sector growth and confidence by supplementing the national government efforts to reduce prohibited drug abuse and criminality and efficient streamlining of business processes resulting in a 38% increase in the number of new business enterprises.

2018 MOST OUTSTANDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT ICC CATEGORY, Regional Level

Cotabato City has one of the Highest Bank Deposits in Mindanao with total of Php18,736,523,000.00 deposits as of June 30, 2017 with 150,406 bank accounts[22] the city has 20 banks (Private and Government), due to high bank deposits and good economic dynamism. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas built its Central Mindanao branch in the city.

Alnor Suites Hotel

The city has local and national-based shopping centers. Local-based shopping centers like Superama, Sugni, Mall of Alnor, and South Seas Mall have been in competition with the national-based shopping centers like CityMall, Puregold, Robinsons Supermarket and Department Store, Centro Department Store, and SM Savemore. Cotabato City is one of the fastest growing economy in the Soccsksargen region.[23]

KCC Malls have confirmed their interest to build a mall within the City's Downtown. Construction will start after the clearing operations are finished.[24] NCCC Malls, a Davao-based mall corporation have also confirmed their interest to build their mall within the city.[25]

The city has different factories for cooking oil, coffee, corn starch, processed food and furniture operating within the city which helps in boosting its economy. Giant factories from neighboring towns has established their offices in the city like Lamsan Inc.[31] and Maria Makiling Coconut Resources Corp.[32]

Kutawato Caves is only cave system found in the heart of a Philippine City, it is located in the foot of PC Hill.

Old Cotabato City Hall Museum: A century old structure which formerly houses Marines Camp. It is currently a museum which showcases the architectural design of the Maguindanaon Art.[34]

Church of the Immaculate Conception of Tamontaka: The oldest church, of Spanish architecture and design, was built by the Jesuits. This is where the old settlement was built in 1872. During the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake, a portion of the church collapsed but the Oblate Fathers restored the ruin parts following the original design.

Old Provincial Capitol: An early American architecture which was the seat of then Empire Province of Cotabato. It houses now by the reserved Military Soldiers.

People's Palace: A structure located at Malagapas, Barangay Rosary Heights 10 combining ethno-modern architectural with Muslim-inspired roof symbolizing its royalty and Roman art symbolizing the existence of Christianity in the City. The entire bureaucracy of the Executive Department are now housed under one roof.[35]

ORC Complex: The regional seat of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao a 32 hectares compound regional center located at southwest of Cotabato City which composed of different government offices of the entire region of ARMM and some offices of the SOCCSARGEN. Most buildings are built with state-of-the-art Islamic architecture.

Tantawan Park: This park is build at the foot of Pedro Colina Hill which stand the huge golden statue of Sultan Kudarat.

Pedro Colina (PC) Hill May 2018

Baywalk in Cotabato City August 2018

Baywalk: The new emerging tourist spot in Cotabato, it was first to be just a riverbank protection project, but later on it was realize that it can be develop as a boulevard, facing the Tamontaka River part of Mindanao River and Mount Minandar, the boulevard is also named as a “sunset park” because of its beautiful scenery during sunset.[36]

Our Lady of Peñafrancia Fiesta (3rd Sunday of September): Celebrated in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia hosted by the Bicolano Association of Cotabato City. This annual event is a replica of the same event in Naga City.

Multicab and tricycle are the usual means of transportation around the city, minimum fare is P7. There are also Taxis roaming around the city and Habal habal. Two taxi operators are currently operating into the city, namely Alnor Taxi and Wow Taxi.
[39]

Power is handled by Cotabato Light and Power Company, a private firm owned by Aboitiz who gets power resources from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines. (NGCP). It also operates a bunker fuel-fired stand-by power engines to address emergency situations like power failures, trip-offs and fluctuations.[40]

Metro Cotabato Water District is the main water supplier in the city. It has an active connection of 29,960. It resources are located in Barangay Dimapatoy, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.[41]

Telecommunications are handled by PLDT or Philippine Long Distance Company, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, and Sun Cellular. Internet service providers in the city are PLDT, Smart, and Globe. Cable services are being handled by local-based Cotabato Cable[42] and national-based Cignal[43] and Sky Cable.

^ abcde"Cotabato City". Philippine Information Agency, Government of the Republic of the Philippines. Archived from the original on 18 June 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2018.This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.